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My fearless thing for the day was…

June 10, 2008

The fearless thing that I did yesterday is to have had a couple of my videos posted on YouTube. While this may not sound huge, it was about putting my work out into the world in a very visible way. Yeah! - Ericka

PS. Click Here  if you want to see a clip…

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Good Things Are Happening

June 4, 2008

I haven’t written in a couple of weeks, my apologies! Things are truly moving and God has brought in two key people to my team. I have been training my new Marketing Assistant and working with a new Business Manager. I am truly enjoying moving toward automation and freeing myself up to do more of the pieces of my business that I love.

The lesson for me this last couple of weeks is to learn how to back away from things a bit and let my business do what I have worked so diligently for the last 7 years to set-up. This means that I get to write more and spend more time working with media to promote my work. I have been doing radio lately and I love it!

I had a coaching call tonight and we talked about that first process of stepping out and working on your vision and the fear of no one showing up once you do all the hard work. Well, I wanted to remind you as you move forward in your vision, God has a flock of people who are waiting for you. They WILL show up and they are waiting on you!

I was reading in Shape magazine and saw a great quote that talked about how nervous energy is selfish and whenever the reader was feeling nervous, she took the attention off of herself and onto those she is serving. “Yes!!!” I thought, “That’s it!”

If you are feeling nervous about stepping out there on faith, just remember to focus on the people you have been called to serve. The butterflies will leave and you can get back to the big picture. Try it, it works.

Love, Ericka

www.erickajackson.com

ps. Here is a picture from my mini-vacation at the beginning of May. We had a chance to go up to the top of the mountain on the ski lift and it was awesome! If you look closely, you can see the tops of the multi-story villas in the background.

It was a great time to relax, take a step away from my business and make some strategic decisions and to enjoy being on the mountain top in Virginia. I even sat out in the sun. I don’t think you can call it “tanning” when you are already brown, so I’ll call it “browning.”

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I’m baaaack!!!

May 14, 2008

Whew! Vacation was magnificent! I feel rested and my mind is clear and it feels great! I really need to make sure I get away more often. I took some great pictures to post but I haven’t had a moment to get them off of my cell phone camera (yes, I forgot my camera!).

There was something very special about getting away to the mountaintop. I literally took the ski lift all the way to the mountain peak and was able to look down and remember just how much dominion God gave each of us.

I went to a resort in Virginia with my friend Donna and I read, relaxed, danced, walked, slept, prayed, meditated, wrote, and worked on some projects while I was up there. I am not sure how to put it, but I feel like I fully expanded into the fullness of who I am.

It really took getting away to unplug. I was able to take off the many hats I wear and just tend to my own needs. I did not take any coaching clients, I did not do anything that I did not feel like doing.

Since I’ve been back, my mother flew in from Seattle on Monday to visit. It is so magnificent to see her! She came on my daughter’s 13th birthday. I feel so blessed to have such a special family that so deeply supports my work.

Now, it’s time to fully get back in the groove and bust some things out on a new level. I really heard from God while I was gone and know what He has assigned for me. The challenge is always taking control of my time in a way that gets the work done.

I am working on the finishing touches for a new e-book for The Fearless Revolution participants, setting up 2 Affiliate programs, launching the marketing for my live Raleigh workshop in June this week. And, of course, continuing to expand The Fearless Revolution. I am so excited about things right now, it is literally hard to contain myself.

This week is all about flowing and being present to my mother in the midst of getting the tasks done that are set before me. Oh, and still trying to get to bed on time. I just love being up late at night getting things done, but it is not conducive to the schedule I need to keep. I tell you, when I get my sleep, I get 10x’s more things done.

I also have to know that it is not by my works that God blesses me, it is by His grace and mercy and my faith and belief. This gives me much peace to know that things are moving on my behalf in the spiritual realms as I am being present in the natural realm.

I will download the pictures and get them posted so you can see the incredible views that I got to enjoy on my mountain top vacation. Have a blessed week and I’ll “talk” to you soon!

Love, Ericka

www.erickajackson.com

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What are your dominoes?

May 1, 2008

Over the last years of my working one-on-one with people, I have created my own vocabulary. I call them “Ericka-isms.” Today is about my “Ericka-ism” called the domino.

I consider dominoes those things that if you focus on doing them, everything else falls into place. Imagine a line of dominoes and the first one being all it takes to set off the others. I have dominoes in every area of my life.

As I move toward re-aligning my body with full health, my domino is to have a Mango smoothie in the morning. Having my smoothie puts me on the right track all day long. Another domino is exercise. When I exercise, I make the right food choices and feel incredible. When I don’t, something feels off.

My domino in my spiritual life is to review my Pastor’s sermons and Bible Studies and write out all of the scripture from the previous lesson. When I do this first thing in the morning, my spirit gets realigned with The Holy Spirit and I feel like I can breath more deeply. When I don’t, my days get started in what feels like a whirlwind.

My domino for my schedule is to write my To-Do list and prioritize my items. On tight days I even block out the times for me to actually complete the items. Yesterday and today are those types of days. In order to complete everything, I have to focus in like a laser beam. It sounds intense, but it actually keeps me feeling free and clear.

I have even figured out my daughter’s dominoes to smooth out this process of raising her. As much as she loves to cook, she truly needs me to make sure there is good, healthy home-cooked food in the house. She also operates better when we are not just on time, but early. If I do those things for her, she stays in a great place and things feel so much better to me. It also keeps me from feeling too much pressure with motherhood (which is the challenge of my life!)

Honoring my dominoes keeps me encouraged and moving forward while staying truly plugged into my vision. What are your dominoes? When you figure them out, they will change your life!

Have a great day and I’ll talk to you soon!

Love, Ericka

www.erickajackson.com

PS. I’m going to write my next message from my vacation spot in the mountains of Virginia! Yeah! I’ll tell you all about it!

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Gearing up to go

April 30, 2008

I am going on vacation for the first time in eight years on Friday! Someone asked me yesterday, “What are you going to do with all that time?” I had to laugh inside because while 7 days sounds like a lot, I know it will fly by.

What am I going to do? First of all, I will sleep incredibly soundly. I can turn off my “mother’s hearing” and get some deep, deep don’t-care-what-I-look-like-when-I-get-up sleep.

With Kalii not coming with me, I can truly just be me with no “Mommy” label. I can move to my natural rythm instead of the one I have adopted to be a mother.

I am going to move my body, swim, eat wonderful foods and do some strategizing for what’s next in my vision work. I am going to write and do somethings on my website that I can never seem to get to. I am more excited about the business I have today than I was when I first set out on this journey.

The pieces are all here, it’s just time for everything to come together powerfully. This is the business I dreamed of building when I was a little girl when my sister, Debrena, and I used to sit at the dining room table playing tea and playing make-believe about our lives.

While everything is still fully manifesting, this is the beginnings of the life I have always wanted. So, as I am up in the mountains deeply exhaling and inhaling, I will be thinking of how wonderful it will feel to be able to get away quarterly and rejuvenate.

Oh, yes, and I plan to have a wonderful massage! I love deep tissue work and the last one I had was so surface that it annoyed me and stressed me out even more.

In the meantime, today I am just finishing up. I just prioritized my list for the day and it is a full one.

As excited as I am about vacation, the true lesson here is that I literally asked God for it. I have been working on expecting more of God and moving completely out of struggle in all of it’s forms and this is a direct fruit from that work.

As you move on your vision path, remember to expect more of God and believe Him for what you expect of Him. As believers, we are spending WAAAYYYYY too much time hoping and not enough time using the incredible powers that having full access to God, The Holy Spirit and Jesus afford us. It is like having a membership to the best and most exclusive club ever and never using your benefits.

What do you need to serve God more effectively? Ask for it. Believe Him for it. Expect it.

Let me know how it goes. Have a great day and I’ll talk to you soon!

Love, Ericka

www.erickajackson.com

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I’m getting my life back…

April 29, 2008

I just love Mary J. Blige’s new song, “Fine” (at least I think that is the title). I asked my daughter to download it for me from I-tunes and I finally remembered to bring a blank CD home from the office last night for her to use. I put the song on repeat and danced until I broke a good sweat.

It brought a part of me back. Ever since I was in Jr. High School, I used to dance each and every weekend. Whether it was on skates or at the school dance, I absolutely LOVED to dance. I still do, I have just outgrown the club scene.

For years I have had to put so much of myself on the back burner to be a mother raising my daughter on my own and building this vision and I am getting pieces of myself back now. From taking better care of myself, making healthy food choices, getting back in the gym (I used to work out everyday), or actually having time to take to choose the right color of finger nail polish or cook a great meal in more than 20 minutes flat. Did I mention that I’m taking long baths again???

As I was dancing around my room last night, my daughter was crackin’ up at me and actually joined me in getting her groove on for a bit. She doesn’t know that part of me very well and it makes her laugh uncontrollably.

I can move my hips with the best of them and it felt good to shake off some of the rust and dust last night. Today I am continuing to get more of myself back. The part I am focusing on is prosperity and order. Yes, I did begin to unpack those boxes of books and put them in the storage room and it felt good.

Today it is about getting The Fearless Revolution and The Coaching Club (this is an amazing new way to coach!) out there so they can continue changing lives. I’m trying to figure out this blog thing so I can post some info about the new programs I am launching, so as soon as I figure it out, I’ll let you know…

In the meantime, have a phenomenal day!

Love, Ericka

www.erickajackson.com

PS. Email me at info@erickajackson.com if you want more info on any of the programs I mentioned until I learn how to post it here.

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I love Mondays!

April 28, 2008

About four years ago, I was feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with all I had to do in building my vision. Then I worked even on the weekends late into the night on top of being a solo parent.

By the time I got to Monday, I was ready for a loooong nap but had to get up and actually function.  I remember calling out for help and setting up a coaching session.

It became clear that I simply needed to take it easy on Mondays. I began to give myself permission to do whatever it was I needed for myself. Some days that looks like straightening the house if I’ve had a busy weekend, others it looks like getting back into bed after I take Kalii to school and reading.

On other days it looked like taking a long bath and reading. It was a tough transition to make from being a non-stop workaholic.

No matter what, it does mean honoring my natural pace. If I am able to just slow down and be thorough, I get so much more done. I do not set up meetings on Mondays and I let the phone go into voicemail so I can create some time to just think and unwind.

Today I just couldn’t bring myself to put on business attire. So, today it looks like jeans, tennis shoes, and working at a slow and quiet pace. It feels so good! I am getting soooo much done!

I feel ready to finally unpack boxes from my last large speaking engagement and get things back into place. There are even three boxes left from when I moved into this new office space on February 14th.

In case I needed some help, it truly looks like a Seattle day today here in Raleigh with gray skies, overcast and rain showers. I am convinced that days like this are why there are so many entrepreneurs in Seattle. You have to have something to focus on other than the weather or you would be depressed all the time.

When I look outside and see gray skies, after so many years of living in the Seattle gloom, my body is programmed to focus in and work. That way I never had to get sad about not living in the sunny environment my body craved for so many years.

The great thing about Raleigh is that the sun will be back out soon! In the meantime, I’ll just keep plugging along and getting things done…Have a great day!

Love, Ericka

www.erickajackson.com

p.s. - Today I am working on getting my new Coaching Club info out and getting out new info on The Fearless Revolution. Stay tuned for more…

 

 

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Women’s Empowerment was AWESOME!!!

April 23, 2008

Here is a pic of the seminar I did, \I had the opportunity to speak at a large event in North Carolina on March 29th, The Women’s Empowerment Expo. It went marvelously! I had the amazing support of an incredible team of people who were willing to give their time and talents to this incredible vision God has planted within me.

Here are a few of the pictures from the event (Thank you, Derrick Yellock!!!):

 Here I am speaking to the ladies and gentlemen at the seminar.

This was my book reading in the literary lounge. I did not even know Derrick was there shooting pics! Me and a mic in my hand are a dangerous thing!!!

I tell you, I would have showed up in a burlap sac to do this work, but God sent a wardrobist to the rescue! Oh, yes, and make-up artist and hair stylist - Thank you Zandra and Candy!!!

Here is a pic of my daughter, Kalii and I. She gave me a guilt-trip when I told her she couldn’t come. She said, “Mommy, this is my dream, too. I need to come and see what your work is really about.” How do you say “No” to that?

 

Here I am at my booth doing a book signing. I have a funny thing about signing books. It is an odd thing to me that someone would want anyone else to sign their book. But, people seem to really enjoy it, so I go along with it. I do love the process of connecting with people over this work.

 

It was a special day thanks to the team! Tonia, Terry, Linda, Marcia, Mona, Paulette, Felicia, Rachel, Ashley, Della, Theresa, Adriese, Derrick and Martha, you made it all possible!!!

This is me hugging my daughter’s science teacher,  Mrs. Peake. It was a great feeling for them to see a part of who Kalii is through me. I bet they have been much harder on her, hmmm…

Also, the team that came together to help assemble everything was amazing!!! Thank you Shakiria, Fran, Angela, Della, Martha, Jennifer, Bridgette, Theresa, Rachael and son, Kalii, Matthew, Martin, Marcia, Rob, Kevin, Martin and Dawn at The Light radio station! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I couldn’t have done it without you. I will be paying you all back for years to come for all of the sore backs, aching feet and tight leg muscles from lifting all of those boxes! I owe you!!!

Love, Ericka

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Do you have this kind of freedom?

April 22, 2008

Today started out as a rather normal day for me.

I got up, read my word for the day, “Commit to The Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed,” - Proverbs 16:3. Packed lunches. Dropped Kalii off at school and headed into the office.

Had a coaching client. Made calls. Checked messages. All was well until I got the shakes and started feeling not-so-good. At that moment, I just knew with all of my being that I had to get into bed.

I was able to make a couple of calls, pack up my files and laptop and head home to rest and finish up my work day. I took the nap my body was telling me it so desperately needed.

As I was on my way home, all I could do was Thank God!!! I remember working in corporate America seven years ago and having to ask someone for permission to do what I wanted to do. 

I remember asking my co-workers, “Can you listen for my phone? I have to run to the bathroom.”

I would have to schedule a meeting with my manager to ask, “My daughter has a dance recital, is it possible to leave 2 hours early next Wednesday afternoon?”

I am feeling much better and I have the freedom to be sitting in my bed in my tattered, faded, stretched velour sweat pants that I wear around the house writing this note and getting my work done. This is the only place I would choose to be in the world right now.

I am flashing back to the l-o-n-g hours I would put in over three shifts everyday in my business to be able to have the freedom to be able to take a nap in the middle of the day. Just as I woke up, my daughter called from school and needed picking up.

No problem. This is normal to her. I have been building this ministry since she was in kindergarten and I have been able to be there for her even as a parent raising her on my own.

It is not earth-shattering, but I am just so thankful and grateful for the freedom to take a nap in the middle of the day and be there to pick up Kalii.

It is my prayer that you are able to have this freedom. Do what it takes right now to be able to have this freedom. I am free to make the money I choose, cook dinner in the middle of the day and to go to the mail box hoping my neighbors aren’t home yet because I look CRAZY in these sweat pants - but I love them!

We all deserve to experience these little moments of pure bliss and freedom in our lives. Fearlessness is the doorway and I pray that you will let me teach you how. I’ll talk to you soon! Have a great day!

Love, Ericka

www.erickajackson.com

P.S. - I finally have had a chance to get through the pictures from The Women’s Empowerment Expo here in Raleigh. I’ll be posting them in just a bit. It was a BLAST!!!!

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It feels so wierd…

April 10, 2008

It still feels a bit strange for me to share more and more of my story. As a coach, it is really all about the client and not me, so for years I have practiced holding back my story unless someone asks. I am working on sharing the pieces that will benefit you the most.

If you have specific questions, I invite you to post comments or questions so we can have a dialogue. I have been through so much in this process of building God’s vision and now it’s time to take the pieces apart and assist you in moving through your process.

So, today, I am just grateful. I am so grateful that I held on. Our Bible Study (at Raleigh North Christian Center) last night was all about the promises God has reserved only for those who overcome. I sat there knowing that I am truly an overcomer and have “stuck” through things that would have made most people run.

Can I just share about the financial struggle over the years? I have actually have to understand that is has not been struggle, it has literally been a stripping-down of anything and everything I was attached to. This was a serious challenge for me as I grew up in the midst of a highly successful family business and never wanted for a single thing.

Yes, I worked, but I never even had to make a choice about having or not having. My parents’ business not only took phenomenal care of my family, it took care of many other families. To fully commit to God’s vision meant releasing all attachment to how things look financially knowing that tremendous wealth is on the way once the pieces are in place.

Sacrifice is just part of the process. Don’t make it mean anything more. Just hold on because as your vision comes to fruition, God will restore everything even better than it was when you had it. Let it go and it will be returned to you bigger and better. I received a random call the other day letting me know that a business loan I took out was paid off, and not by me, they “took care of it” on their end. They took my last payments from a group fund I had paid into years ago and had long forgotten.

God restores, renews, and takes care of you in ways that go far beyond money. The money is the least of what God will do for you once you fully commit to bringing forth His vision for your life. I’ll share more tomorrow. In the meantime, be blessed!

Love, Ericka

www.erickajackson.com